An excited heart, trembling hands.
Naruto gazed at the two clusters of Chakra in front of him, holding his breath.
Under Aomi's guidance, the Chakra gradually transformed into two humanoid figures, presenting a golden-haired man and a red-haired woman...
It was Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina.
Naruto stared intently at his parents, daring not to blink as he greedily looked at them, afraid that Minato and Kushina might disappear the next second and he would never see them again...
"Naruto?"
Seeing the little carrot-top in front of her, Kushina's maternal love, never released before, exploded instantly, and she rushed over urgently, though she noticed Namikaze Minato beside her, she had no time to pay attention to him, solidly hugging Naruto...
"Are you okay? Naruto..."
Kushina looked at Naruto's little face in her embrace, which was tightly knitted with grievances, feeling even more heartache: "My son..."
Never treated so warmly before, Naruto felt the natural maternal love emerging from blood ties, his eyes instantly moistened, and a tear slowly rolled down as he softly whimpered:
"Mom!"
And beside him, Namikaze Minato, compared to the emotional Kushina, was more rational.
As the Fourth Hokage, his first thought was, why had he appeared here?
The fundamental purpose of his and Kushina's Chakra was to act as the final two lines of defense preventing Naruto from being bewitched by the Nine-tails...
Which means — has the Nine-tails escaped?!
Namikaze Minato's peripheral vision caught sight of the fallen gate beside him, and his heart trembled.
Has the Nine-tails' seal indeed been broken?
In a flash, Namikaze Minato instantly assumed a battle stance, Chakra concerning Fuinjutsu condensed in his hand, suddenly turning to look!
He froze in place.
He saw Aomi sitting cross-legged atop the Nine-tails' head, waving friendly with a smiling face, warmly greeting: "Hello..."
Namikaze Minato momentarily didn't know what to do.
Has the Nine-tails escaped? Saying it escaped, indeed...
After all, the gate manifested by the Eight Trigrams Seal had been dismantled, lying whole on the ground.
But it hadn't completely escaped.
Unlike the Nine-tails in Namikaze Minato's memory, the strongest Tailed Beast, which left Konoha helpless and caused great destruction, now resembled a gentle big cat, quietly serving as a mount beneath that handsome man.
Even the ominous Nine-tailed Chakra desperately restrained its negative aura, so much that Namikaze Minato was momentarily unable to recognize this old enemy...
Unfamiliar, too unfamiliar!
And the series of changes in the Nine-tails undoubtedly relate to the man atop its head...
So, who is he?
To be inside Naruto's body, even conquering the Nine-tails, who is this divine being?
"Kushina!"
Namikaze Minato shouted solemnly, "We have a guest!"
Moments ago, overwhelmed by joy and sorrow from meeting Naruto, upon hearing Namikaze Minato's unusual tone, Kushina demonstrated her excellent ninja qualities.
Pulling Naruto behind her, her red hair fluttered like tentacles, accompanied by the King Kong blockade bursting from her body, assuming a stance ready to seal the Nine-tails at any moment.
"Eh? Eh eh eh eh...?"
Kushina's stern gaze faltered instantly upon seeing Aomi politely waving.
What's going on with another person here?
And sitting on the Nine-tails' head at that!
"Mom! Aomi isn't a bad guy, if he hadn't helped me, I wouldn't have been able to meet you guys!"
Though still a child, Naruto keenly sensed the tense atmosphere, urgently pulling on Kushina's sleeve and speaking swiftly:
"Aomi is my friend! He's the only friend I have in Konoha after living here for so long!"
Namikaze Minato and Kushina were momentarily stunned.
Both surprised by Naruto having such a strong friend and saddened by the description of "only friend" as parents feeling heartache from inside out...
Additionally, feeling a subtle confusion and fear!
How could it be?
Naruto is their child; how could he grow up only having Aomi as such a lone friend...
Could it be that Aomi is preventing Naruto from making friends?
If so, Aomi's intentions become intriguing, definitely using bad motives against Naruto, against Konoha!
"Naruto, how long have you known your friend Aomi?"
Namikaze Minato maintained his sunny smile, turning to Naruto and said: "Dad is really happy you found such an excellent person…"
Aomi chuckled lightly looking at Namikaze Minato, spreading his hands to indicate he meant no harm.
The Golden Flash, aside from the smile remaining gentle, his whole body was tensely tense, extremely on edge; in Aomi's eyes, his Chakra movements were clear.
He was like a leopard ready to strike at any moment...
And on the other side, Kushina was simpler; after Naruto called Aomi his friend, her flowing red hair settled down, even with a hint of apology.
Conforming with Aomi's perception of Kushina.
After all, it was during the Night of Nine-tails she humorously declared she would strangle the Nine-tails with the King Kong blockade...
"Dad, I only met Aomi today…" Naruto hesitated for a moment, but seeing Aomi's encouraging gaze, he felt reassured and replied.
Hearing Naruto's answer, Namikaze Minato subtly glanced at Kushina beside Naruto.